I really want a ferret.....?

Question

I think they are absolutely adorable but everyone I tell I want a ferret to talks like they are so gross. Any ferret owners? Can they be paper or litter trained? Would my dog or cat get along with them? etc.

thanks!

Answer 1

Ferrets are one of the greatest pets in the world. If you live in the States, any ferret you get is likely to be descented, unless it comes from a breeder, but then they are very pricey. If you are in Europe, descenting is not done; but even there when they poof it only lasts for a couple minutes and not nearly as bad as a skunk. The worst are the males, but neutering them takes care of that. Ferrets are naturally clean animals AND DO NOT NEED TO BE BATHED VERY OFTEN! Bathing a ferret more than once or twice a year, barring accidents, will encourage overproduction of odorous oils because of dry skin. As long as their litterboxes are cleaned daily(yes, they do use litterboxes and newspaper), their bedding cleaned weekly and the cage cleaned at least once a month, they smell better than most dogs. Avid ferret owners love the ferrety scent.

Some cats will interact with ferrets, and some, like mine, want nothing to do with them and will run and hide. LOL As for dogs, it depends on the dog. Terriers and dogs bred for hunting - no! The ferret will be seen as prey. Too many ferrets die because of being exposed to the wrong dog and the result is tragic and ugly. Even if a dog seems to be fine around the ferret, NEVER leave them unsupervised.

Get yourself a copy of Ferrets for Dummies - it's THE best handbook a prospective ferret owner can get. Join a couple forums and ask questions, read about others' experiences. We're only too happy to share and answer questions. Ferrets are far from being gross - they can make your day. Also, they need 2-8 hours supervised playtime out of the cage everyday because they are very active and curious creatures, intelligent and become bored quickly. They also sleep most of the day, like cats, but when they play, they play hard and can make you laugh until you cry.

Answer 2

The ferret is the closest living relative to the domestic dog, but that doesn't mean that they will get along. Dogs can be territorial and most dogs don't always like small animals. It's like saying, will my dog like a rabbit or guinea pig? Ferrets can be litter trained which you can then give them free range of the house after ferret proofing (blocking holes that they can escape through), therefore your dog may never see your ferret unless through the back screen door!
A ferret is similar to a kitten in it's attention span and amount of activity it needs to undertake.

Answer 3

I have owned two of them and they were a blast. They can be liter box trained. They can get along with other pets you just have to introduce them a little at a time. They play hard and when they fall asleep, they don't wake up. You would think they are dead. It natural for them to do that. Always keep them in a cool place if not they will die on you. There are Ferret magazines out there so go check one out.

Answer 4

I had two ferrets awhile back. They were both descented but they still stunk up a storm! We used the special shampoo on them and they still smelled horrible. Not only that but they poop every 20 minutes and they like to back up into a corner of the cage and poop out the bars so you end up with a pile of doody outside of the cage. It's really nasty!

I have heard that they can be trained to go in a litter box but it would take alot of effort. If you let them roam freely around the house like some ferret owners you risk them being attacked by your cat...

Answer 5

There are two things that you need to know before you decide to buy a ferret. They really, really, really stink, even if they are litter trained. Not only does their fecal matter stink, they have glands that secrete a very strong, musky scent that will stick up your entire home. And they are usually very mean. They are members of the weasle family and they are really not "tame". I would think about your dog before deciding to get a ferret. They are natural enemies and you don't want your poor dog to get left out when you have to lock him in another room when you want your ferret to run around. Think about getting a rabbit, they are more fragile and really not for kids, but mine get along great with my two dogs.

Answer 6

You need to understand that ferrets are very smelly even if you get them de-scented. They are also very nosey and will be uinto everything. They can also be vicious, my daughter, not knowing this gave mine some cookie dough on her finer and i literally had to take a screwdriver and pry its mouth off her finger. Ferrets take a lot of care and a lot of responsibility. They're also very messy too, both of mine were the same way. They can get along with dogs but can be really hostile too.

Answer 7

I loved my ferret. He was the coolest pet. His name was Kirby and we had so much fun with him. He was litter box trained, but he did have accidents on occasion. He and my cat played really well together. He tended to hide things like my car keys for example. Yes they tend to have a musky odor but it wasnt bad to me. I washed him with baby shampoo. Kirby died a couple of years ago of old age. I think ferrets make great pets if you have time to spend with one. They like to play and they like attention. Great with kids too. At least mine was. Hope this helps!

Answer 8

Ferrets makegreat pets! they are really smart! I used to have one and he was awsome! He did smell alot, and was kin of messy, but he never but, and was litter trained! With cats... idk prob not, and dogs.... maybe, i had mine is a different room.
Good Luck!

Answer 9

They should never be housepets because they will destroy anything and every thing they can chew or poo on. They need to be free. Some animals domesticate well but domesticated ferrets always seem like they know about freedom and long for it....

Answer 10

my best friend had one and had a LOT of trouble with it, it kept sneaking out of its cage and getting into trouble. they are VERY sneaky. Also, you have to be very careful, cause they are known to have rabies and other things wrong with them. My friends bit her and her hand swelled up for like a week. it was gross. The ferrat was soo fiesty that she had to get rid of it. so i mean if you want one, get one, but they seem very fiesty and hard to train/take care of.